Foxconn Says Another Worker Committed Suicide

Foxconn Technology Group, the main
supplier of Apple Inc, said on Thursday a worker at a
Chinese plant jumped from his apartment on Wednesday, the first
suicide since the company agreed with its U.S. client to improve
work conditions.

The 23 year-old worker fell to his death from his apartment
located outside the plant in the southwestern city of Chengdu,
according to a statement by Foxconn. The worker had joined the
company last month and police were investigating the death.

Apple and Foxconn reached an agreement in March to improve
conditions for the 1.2 million workers assembling iPhones and
iPads, a landmark decision that could change the way Western
companies do business in China.

According to the agreement, Foxconn would hire tens of thousands
of new workers to reduce overtime work, improve safety protocols
and upgrade housing and other amenities.

The move comes after Apple, criticized over working conditions at
its sprawling chain of suppliers in China, agreed to an
investigation by the independent Fair Labor Association earlier
this year to stem criticism that its products were built in
sweatshop-like conditions.

A series of suicides among young workers were reported at Foxconn
in 2010, and three workers died in an explosion at a Foxconn
plant in Chengdu last June.

Foxconn also announced in mid-February it had raised wages for
workers by 16 to 25 percent.

Hon Hai Precision Industry, which makes
iPhones and iPads for Apple, is the main listed unit of the
Foxconn group, while Foxconn Internationalmanufactures handsets
for clients such as Nokiaand SonyEricsson.

About 100 workers from Foxconn's Chengdu plant went on the
rampage earlier this month after a dispute in a restaurant turned
violent.